1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a capsule rectification apparatus and method in which means are provided to recognize, identify and remove improperly positioned capsules from the mechanism. Capsules in large numbers and at high speed are transported in an array along a predetermined path and are rectified with all of the cap portions oriented in a common direction and all of the body portions oriented in another direction. In the event of occasional, unintended mis-orientation, according to this invention, the mis-oriented capsules are recognized and identified and are quickly and reliably removed from the array.
2. Prior Art
Machines which automatically sort, transport and rectify capsules are known in the art. In many of these prior art machines, the capsules are randomly loaded into a hopper, transferred to a capsule carrying conveyor, rectified into the desired alignment and passed to another work station, such as a printing station. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,670,865 (Garland) and 3,871,295 (Ackley) are representative of such devices. U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,831 (Whitecar) discloses yet another capsule rectification.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,402 (Wagers, Jr. et al), a capsule rectification device is taught wherein a single row of rectified capsules is transported by a conveyor and then transferred to a separate inspection head wherein the capsules are spun about their axes to expose their entire surfaces for inspection as by optical means. If the capsules fail inspection, an air blast means ejects them from the inspection head.
A capsule feeding and rectification device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,645 (Aronson) wherein capsules are rectified via a rotatable gauging mechanism interposed between two cam plates. Any defective capsules or capsules which have been "hung up" on the gauging mechanism are purged from the machine by destruction thereof by the sharp edged portions of the lower cam and the upper cam.
Despite the many advantages afforded by the prior art capsule rectification devices, it is often difficult to obtain high efficiency rectification due to the fact that the processed capsules are lightweight and easily affected by air currents, dust accumulation, and static electricity, which often times results in malfunctioning of the rectification means.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a rectification device of high efficiency and production which can effectively remove non-rectified capsules from the transported array especially before the capsules are presented to another work station.
The production of a rectification device which is also capable of removing the non-rectified capsules therefrom without the attendant complexity and expense of providing a separate capsule inspection station is highly desirable and of significant commercial interest.
Further, it is economically advantageous to provide a capsule rectification device which provides for the removal of non-rectified capsules from the transport mechanism without resulting in the destruction of the non-rectified capsules so that they can be subsequently reloaded and reprocessed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a capsule rectification device of high efficiency and production which is capable of removing non-rectified capsules from the transported array before the capsules are presented to a downstream work station, such as a printing station.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a capsule rectification device which is capable of removing non-rectified capsules therefrom without the need for a separate capsule inspection station.
These and other objects are met by the apparatus and method for removing non-rectified capsules from a capsule rectification and transport device herein disclosed which will be fully explained in conjunction with the appended drawings and following detailed description.